ILLINOIS 

\ 

Motor  Vehicle 
Law 


tn  Force  January  l,  1920 


COMPILED  BY 

LOUIS  L.  EMMERSON 

Secretary  of  State 


[Printed  by  authority  of  the  State 
of  Illinois.] 


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ILLINOIS 


Motor  Vehicle 
Law 


.  COMPILED  BY 

LOUIS  L.  EMMERSON 

Secretary  of  State 


[Printed  by  authority  of  the  State 
of  Illinois.] 


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Schnepp  &  Barnes,  Printers 
Springfield,  I'll. 


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ILLINOIS  MOTOR  VEHICLE 
LAW. 


An  Act  in  relation  to  motor  vehicles 
and  to  repeal  a  certain  Act  therein 
named . 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Peo¬ 
ple  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  represented 
in  the  General  Assembly: 

Whenever  the  term  “motor  vehicle” 
is  used  in  this  Act,  it  shall  be  con¬ 
strued  to  include  automobiles,  loco¬ 
mobiles,  motor  bicycles,  tractors, 
traction  engines,  and  all  other  vehicles 
propelled  otherwise  than  by  muscu¬ 
lar  power,  and  including  also  vehicles 
or  trailers,  or  semi-trailers  pulled  or 
towed  by  a  motor  vehicle,  but  exclud¬ 
ing  cars  of  electric  and  steam  rail¬ 
ways  and  other  motor  vehicles  run¬ 
ning  only  upon  fixed  rails  or  tracks. 
Nothing  in  this  Act  shall  be  construed 
to  apply  to  or  to  affect  bicycles  or 
tricycles  or  such  other  vehicles  as  are 
propelled  exclusively  by  muscular 
pedal  power. 

Whenever  the  term  “improved  high¬ 
ways”  is  used  in  this  Act  it  shall  be 
construed  to  include  roads  of  con¬ 
crete,  brick,  asphalt,  macadam  and 
gravel. 

§  2.  This  Act  shall  be  known  as  the 
“Motor  Vehicle  Law,”  and  may  here¬ 
after  be  referred  to  by  that  designa- 


•'-D 


tlon.  For  the  purposes  of  this  Act, 
motor  vehicles  as  a  class  shall  be 
divided  into  two  divisions;  viz.: 

First:  Those  vehicles  which  are  de¬ 
signed  and  used  for  the  carrying  of 
not  more  than  seven  persons. 

Second:  Those  vehicles  which  are 
designed  and  used  for  pulling  or  car¬ 
rying  freight  and  also  those  vehicles 
or  motor  cars  which  are  designed  and 
used  for  the  carrying  of  more  than 
seven  persons. 

§  3.  The  weights  and  dimensions  of 
vehicles  of  either  division  mentioned 
in  section  2  of  this  Act  shall  be  lim¬ 
ited  as  follows,  to-wit: 

(1)  The  maximum  gross  load  to  be 
permitted  on  any  axle  of  any  vehicle 
shall  not  exceed  sixteen  thousand 
pounds;  and  the  gross  weight  of  any 
vehicle,  including  the  weight  of  the 
vehicle  and'  maximum  load,  shall  not 
exceed  800  pounds  per  inch  of  the 
average  width  of  tire  of  the  road 
wheels  of  such  vehicles  in  actual  con¬ 
tact  with  the  surface  of  the  road. 

(2)  Weight  limits  50  per  cent  above 
those  provided  for  herein  may  be 
permitted  by  ordinance  in  cities  hav¬ 
ing  a  population  of  more  than  20,000, 
but  such  increase  shall  not  apply  to 
vehicles  when  outside  the  limits  of 
such  a  city. 

(3)  The  maximum  width  of  any 
vehicle  and  its  load  shall  not  exceed 
eight  feet,  excepting  loads  of  loose 
hay,  straw,  corn  fodder,  or  other  simi¬ 
lar  farm  products. 

(4)  Upon  the  filing  in  the  office  of 

4 


the  Secretary  of  State  of  an  applica¬ 
tion  for  the  first  registration  of  ve¬ 
hicles  described  in  the  second  division 
of  section  2  of  this  Act,  and  the  pay¬ 
ment  of  the  registration  fee  herein¬ 
after  provided,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
or  his  duly  authorized  agent,  shall 
issue  to  such  applicant  in  addition  to 
the  regular  number  plate,  a  metal 
plate  which  shall  not  be  less  than  four 
inches  long  and  two  inches  wide,  upon 
which  shall  be  impressed,  with  a  metal 
die,  the  weight  in  pounds  of  such 
vehicle  and  maximum  load  in  con¬ 
formity  with  and  as  provided  by  this 
Act,  which  metal  plate  aforesaid  shall 
be  attached  to  said  vehicle  in  con¬ 
spicuous  place  and  at  all  times  carried 
thereupon. 

(5)  Where  trailers  are  used  the 
length  of  any  vehicle,  or  vehicles,  com¬ 
bined  with  their  trailers,  shall  not 
exceed  65  feet;  provided,  that  upon 
application  to  the  highway  or  street 
officials  having  proper  jurisdiction 
over  a  particular  highway  special  per¬ 
mits  in  writing  may  be  granted  for 
the  operation  of  trains  of  trailers  ex¬ 
ceeding  in  length  the  foregoing,  sub¬ 
ject  to  such  conditions  as  such  high¬ 
way  or  street  officials  may  prescribe. 
On  all  highways  under  the  control  of 
or  required  to  be  maintained  in  whole 
or  in  part  by  the  State  such  permis¬ 
sion  shall  be  obtained  from  the  De¬ 
partment  of  Public  Works  and  Build¬ 
ings. 

§  4.  After  the  passage  and  approval 
of  this  Act,  no  metal  tired  vehicle,  in- 


5 


eluding  tractors,  traction  engines  and 
other  similar  vehicles,  shall  be  oper¬ 
ated  over  any  improved  public  high¬ 
ways  of  this  State,  if  such  vehicle  has 
on  the  periphery  of  any  of  the  road 
wheels  any  block,  stud,  flange,  cleat, 
ridge,  bolt,  lug,  or  any  projection  of 
metal  or  wood  which  projects  radically 
beyond  the  tread  or  traffic  surface  of 
the  tire;  except  that  this  prohibition 
shall  not  apply  to  tractors  or  traction 
engines  equipped  with  what  is  known 
as  caterpillar  tractors,  when  such 
caterpillar  does  not  contain  any  pro¬ 
jections  of  any  kind  likely  to  injure 
the  surface  of  the  road;  Provided , 
however ,  that  tractors,  traction  en¬ 
gines  and  similar  vehicles  may  be 
operated  which  have  upon  their  road 
wheels  V-shaped,  diagonal  or  other 
cleats  arranged  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  be  continuously  in  contact  with  the 
road  surface,  provided  that  the  gross 
weight  upon  such  wheels  per  inch  of 
width  of  such  cleats  in  contact  with 
the  road  surface,  when  measured  in 
the  direction  of  the  axle  of  the  vehicle, 
does  not  exceed  800  pounds. 

§  5.  All  motor  vehicles  and  all  trail¬ 
ers  or  other  vehicles  in  tow  thereof,  or 
thereunto  attached,  operating  upon  the 
improved  public  highways,  shall  have 
tires  of  rubber  or  some  material  of 
equal  resiliency:  Provided,  that  tires 
shall  be  considered  defective  and  shall 
not  be  permitted  to  be  used  if  the 
rubber  or  other  material  has  been 
worn  or  otherwise  reduced  to  a  thick¬ 
ness  of  less  than  three-fourths  of  an 


inch  or  if  such  tires  have  been  so  worn 
or  otherwise  damaged  as  to  cause  un¬ 
due  vibration  when  the  vehicle  is  in 
motion  or  to  cause  undue  concentra¬ 
tion  of  the  wheel  load  on  the  surface 
of  the  road:  And  provided,  further, 
that  this  requirement  shall  not  apply 
to  agricultural  tractors  or  traction 
engines  or  to  agricultural  machinery, 
including  wagons  being  used  for  agri¬ 
cultural  purposes  in  tow  therof,  or 
to  trailers  carrying  agricultural  prod¬ 
ucts  drawn  by  trucks  at  a  speed  not 
to  exceed  ten  miles  per  hour  or  to 
road  rollers  or  road  building  ma¬ 
chinery. 

§  6.  No  motor  vehicle  shall  be  oper¬ 
ated  upon  the  improved  public  high¬ 
ways  of  the  State  which  shall  be 
equipped  with  any  anti-skid  or  non¬ 
slip  device  so  constructed  that  any 
rigid  or  non-flexible  portion  of  same 
comes  in  contact  with  the  pavement; 
Provided,  that  this  section  shall  not 
apply  to  agricultural  tractors  or  trac¬ 
tion  engines  or  similar  metal-tired 
vehicles  which  have  anti-skid  devices 
upon  the  road  wheels  and  which  are 
otherwise  permitted  to  be  used  under 
the  provisions  of  this  Act. 

§  7.  No  tractor,  traction  engine  or 
other  metal  tired  vehicle,  weighing 
more  than  four  tons,  including  the 
weight  of  the  vehicle  and  its  load, 
shall  drive  up  onto,  off  or  over  the 
edge  of  any  paved  public  highway  in 
this  State,  without  protecting  such 
edge  by  putting  dowm  solid  planks  or 
other  suitable  device  to  prevent  such 


vehicle  from  breaking  off  the  edges 
of  corners  of  such  pavement. 

§  8.  Every  owner  of  a  vehicle  of  the 
First  Division,  as  described  in  section 
2  of  this  Act,  which  shall  be  driven 
in  this  State,  shall,  except  as  other¬ 
wise  provided  in  this  Act,  within  ten 
days  after  he  becomes  the  owner  of 
such  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle, 
file  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of 
State  an  application  for  a  certificate 
of  registration  properly  sworn  to,  set¬ 
ting  forth  his  name  and  address,  with 
a  brief  description  of  the  vehicle,  or 
bicycle,  to  be  registered,  including  the 
name  of  the  maker,  factory  and  en¬ 
gine  numbers,  style  of  '  vehicle  or 
bicycle  and  the  motor  power  and  (ex¬ 
cept  in  the  case  of  electrically  pro¬ 
pelled  vehicles)  the  amount  of  such 
motor  power  stated  in  figures  of  horse 
power,  in  accordance  with  such  stand¬ 
ard  rating  as  may  be  prescribed  by 
the  Secretary  of  State,  on  a  blank  to 
be  prepared  and  furnished  by  such 
Secretary  of  State  for  that  purpose 
and  shall  pay  to  said  Secretary  of 
State,  for  each  calendar  year  from 
and  after  January  1,  1920,  a  registra¬ 
tion  fee  for  motor  bicycles  and  motor 
vehicles  of  said  First  Division,  so 
registered,  at  the  following  rates: 
For  each  motor  bicycle,  the  sum  of 
$4.00  per  annum;  for  each  motor  ve¬ 
hicle  of  25  horsepower,  and  less,  the 
sum  of  $8.00  per  annum;  for  each 
motor  vehicle  of  35  horsepower  and 
more  than  25  horsepower,  the  sum  of 
$12.00  per  annum;  for  each  motor 


8 


vehicle  of  50  horsepower  and  more 
than  35  horsepower,  the  sum  of  $20.00 
per  annum;  for  each  motor  vehicle  of 
more  than  50  horsepower,  the  sum  of 
$25.00  per  annum;  for  each  and  every 
electrically  propelled  motor  vehicle, 
the  sum  of  $12.00  per  annum:  Pro¬ 
vided,  the  first  registration  fee  for 
each  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle 
shall  be  reduced  50  per  cent  if  pay¬ 
able  during  the  second  half  of  the  cal¬ 
endar  year,  and  that  no  certificate  for 
re-registration  shall  issue  for  a  less 
sum  than  the  fee  required  for  a  cal¬ 
endar  year.  Said  registration  shall 
be  made  on  the  date  the  application 
is  received  and  filed  by  the  Secretary 
of  State  and  expire  with  the  last  day 
of  the  calendar  year  in  which  such 
registration  is  made.  Upon  the  filing 
in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State 
of  said  application  and  the  payment 
of  the  registration  fee,  as  herinbe- 
fore  provided,  the  Secretary  of  State 
or  his  duly  authorized  agent,  shall, 
without  further  fee,  assign  to  such 
motor  vehicle,  or  motor  bicycle,  as  de¬ 
scribed  in  such  application,  a  dis¬ 
tinctive  number  and  shall  issue  to  the 
owner  of  such  motor  vehicle  or  motor 
bicycle,  as  it  is  described  in  the  appli¬ 
cation  filed,  a  certificate  of  registra¬ 
tion,  which  certificate  shall  be  in  the 
form  of  a  card,  which  may  be  carried 
in  the  pocket,  and  which  certificate 
shall  contain  the  descriptive  number 
so  assigned  to  such  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle,  the  name  and  address 
of  the  owner,  a  brief  description  of 


9 


such  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle, 
stating  the  name  of  the  manufacturer, 
the  kind  of  motor  power,  and  the 
amount  of  such  motor  power  stated  in 
figures  of  horsepower  or  the  capacity 
of  such  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle 
if  electrically  propelled.  Upon  filing 
in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State 
an  affidavit  to  the  effect  that  the  ori¬ 
ginal  front  or  rear  motor  vehicle  num¬ 
ber  plate  or  original  motor  bicycle 
number  plate  is  lost,  stolen,  or  de¬ 
stroyed,  a  duplicate  certificate  of  regis¬ 
tration  or  duplicate  motor  bicycle 
number  plate  will  be  furnished  at  50 
cents  each  and  a  duplicate  front  and 
rear  motor  vehicle  number  plate  will 
be  furnished  at  $1.00  each.  The  Secre¬ 
tary  of  State  shall  keep  separate 
alphabetical  lists  of  all  owners  of 
motor  vehicles  of  the  First  Division 
and  all  owners  of  motor  vehicles  of 
the  Second  Division,  with  the  address 
of  each,  the  registration  number,  the 
date  of  filing  of  the  application  and 
the  description  of  the  motor  vehicle 
or  motor  bicycle;  and  shall  not  there¬ 
after  assign  a  number  once  assigned 
to  a  motor  vehicle  or  a  motor  bicycle 
owned  by  any  other  person,  if  the 
owner  of  the  motor  vehicle- or  motor 
bicycle  to  whom  such  number  was 
first  assigned  shall,  not  less  than 
twenty  (20)  days  prior  to  the  day  of 
expiration  of  said  registration,  file  an 
application  accompanied  by  the  fees 
herein  specified  for  the  registration  or 
re-registration  of  a  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  and  request  the  assign- 


10 


ment  of  said  number  to  a  motor  ve¬ 
hicle  or  motor  bicycle  owned  by  him. 
The  Secretary  of  State,  shall  at  the 
end  of  each  calendar  month,  print  and 
mail  to  the  clerks  and  the  sheriffs  of 
all  the  counties  and  to  the  chiefs  of 
police  of  cities  and  towns  of  five 
thousand  population  and  over,  in  this 
State,  copies  of  lists  of  registration 
made  in  accordance  herewith  showing 
the  number  of  motor  vehicles  and  the 
motor  bicycles  and  the  names  and 
addresses  of  the  owners  thereof. 

The  Secretary  of  State,  shall,  upon 
payment  of  a  fee  of  $25.00  enter  the 
name  of  the  person,  firm  or  corpora¬ 
tion  sending  the  same,  upon  a  list  to 
receive  copies  of  the  lists  of  registra¬ 
tion  provided  for  in  this  section. 

§  9.  All  vehicles  of  the  Second  Divi¬ 
sion  as  described  in  section  2  of  this 
Act,  which  are  designed  or  equipped 
or  used  for  carrying  freight,  and  all 
vehicles  of  said  First  Division  which 
have  been  remodeled  and  are  being 
used  for  carrying  freight,  and  all 
vehicles  of  said  Second  Division  which 
are  used  for  carrying  more  than  seven 
persons  shall  pay  to  the  Secretary  of 
State  for  each  calendar  year  from 
and  after  January  1,  1920,  license  fees 
for  the  use  of  the  public  highways  of 
this  State  at  the  following  rates,  to- 
wit: 

(a)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  five  thousand  (5,000)  pounds  and 
less,  including  the  weight  of  the  ve¬ 
hicle  and  maximum  load,  $12.00. 


11 


(b)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  more  than  five  thousand  (5,000) 
pounds  and  not  more  than  twelve 
thousand  (12,000)  pounds,  including 
the  weight  of  the  vehicle  and  maxi¬ 
mum  load,  $22.50. 

(c)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  more  than  twelve  thousand  (12,000) 
pounds  and  not  more  than  fifteen 
thousand  (15,000)  pounds,  including 
the  weight  of  the  vehicle  and  maxi¬ 
mum  load,  $35.00. 

(d)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  more  than  fifteen  thousand  (15,000) 
pounds  including  the  weight  of  the 
vehicle  and  maximum  load,  $60.00. 

(e)  Tractors,  traction  engines  or 
other  similar  vehicles  used  for  haul¬ 
ing  purposes,  except  as  hereinafter 
provided,  shall  pay  a  license  fee  of 
$25.00  per  annum;  provided,  that  none 
of  the  vehicles  of  said  Second  Division 
shall  be  required  to  pay  the  registra¬ 
tion  fees  in  section  8  of  this  Act. 

§  10.  All  license  fees  provided  for  in 
section  9  of  this  Act  shall  be  paid  to 
the  Secretary  of  State  in  the  same 
manner  and  at  the  same  time,  and  in 
the  same  proportions,  for  fractions  of 
a  year,  as  provided  for  in  section  8 
of  this  Act:  Provided,  however,  that 
such  license  fees  shall  be  paid  before 
the  vehicles  are  used  on  the  public 
highways  of  the  State.  All  license 
fees  provided  for  in  section  9  shall  be 
deposited  in  the  State  treasury  and 
become  and  be  a  •  part  of  the  Road 
Fund  provided  for  in  section  36  of 
this  Act. 


12 


§  11.  Any  person,  firm  or  corpora¬ 
tion  who  shall  violate  any  of  the  pro¬ 
visions  of  sections  S,  4,  5,  6,  7,  9, 
10,  23,  24  or  33,  shall  be  subject  to  a 
penalty  of  not  less  than  $10.00,  nor 
more  than  $100.00,  for  each  offense, 
together  with  costs  of  suit  and  shall 
also  be  held  liable  for  the  payment  of 
all  damages  caused  to  any  public  high¬ 
way  by  such  violation.  Any  vehicle 
used  in  violation  of  any  section  of 
this  Act  and  thereby  causing  damage 
to  any  public  highway  shall  be  sub¬ 
ject  to  a  lien  for  the  full  amount  of 
all  unpaid  registration  fees,  license 
fees,  penalties  and  damages;  provided, 
however,  that  such  lien  shall  not  re¬ 
lease  the  offender  from  the  full  pay¬ 
ment  of  all  registration  fees,  license 
fees,  penalties  and  damages  which 
may  be  due  from  him  or  be  recovered 
against  him  in  any  court  of  competent 
jurisdiction;  and  provided  also,  that 
such  lien  shall  not  be  superior  to  any 
chattel  mortgage  or  other  lien  attach¬ 
ing  to  such  vehicle. 

§  12.  Every  transfer  of  any  vehicle 
of  said  Second  Division  from  one 
owner  to  another  by  sale,  barter  or 
otherwise,  shall  be  reported  to  the 
Secretary  of  State  and  be  regulated 
and  controlled  as  near  as  may  be  by 
the  provisions  of  section  19  of  this 
Act.  * 

§  13.  The  Secretary  of  State  is  here¬ 
by  authorized  and  empowered  to  in¬ 
stitute,  in  the  name  of  the  People  of 
the  State  of  Illinois,  a  suit  or  suits  in 
any  court  of  competent  jurisdiction 


13 


to  enforce  the  collection  of  any  regis¬ 
tration  fees,  fines,  penalties  or  dam¬ 
ages  provided  for  in  this  Act. 

§  14.  The  Secretary  of  State  shall 
supply  and  deliver  to  the  address  of 
the  owner  of  each  licensed  motor  ve¬ 
hicle  or  motor  bicycle  registered  in 
his  office,  as  herein  provided,  charges 
prepaid,  and  without  additional  cost, 
one  number  plate  for  each  motor  bi¬ 
cycle,  which  shall  be  of  a  size  one- 
third  of  that  required  for  motor  ve¬ 
hicles,  as  hereinafter  provided,  and 
which  shall  be  conspicuously  dis¬ 
played  thereon,  and  two  number  plates 
for  each  motor  vehicle  other  than  a 
motor  bicycle.  All  number  plates 
issued  during  any  calendar  year  shall 
be  of  like  design  and  color  combina¬ 
tion  for  motor  vehicles  in  each  di¬ 
vision,  but  the  number  plates  for  mo¬ 
tor  vehicles  in  the  First  Division  shall 
be  distinctly  different  from  the  num¬ 
ber  plates  for  motor  vehicles  in  the 
Second  Division.  All  such  number 
plates  shall  be  as  simple  and  inex¬ 
pensive  as  may  be  for  the  purpose 
required,  and  the  number  thereon 
shall  correspond,  with  the  number  of 
the  certificate  of  registration  issued 
by  the  Secretary  of  State,  as  here¬ 
inbefore  provided,  and  such  number 
plates  shall  be  conspicuously  dis¬ 
played  upon  the  front  and.  back  of 
the  motor  vehicle  to  which  they  are 
assigned  as  herein  provided,  when¬ 
ever  the  same  shall  be  driven  or 
used  upon  the  public  streets,  roads, 
turnpikes,  parks,  parkways,  drives  or 


14 


other  public  highways  in  this  State, 
and  shall  be  firmly  attached  to  the 
said  motor  vehicle  so  that  they  will 
not  swing  loosely,  and  the  rear  num¬ 
ber  plate  shall  not  be  less  than  twenty 
(20)  inches  above  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  and  both  shall  at  all  times  be 
kept  clean  and  free  from  grease  and 
dirt.  The  figures  upon  such  number 
plates  shall  be  separate  Arabic  numer¬ 
als,  not  less  than  four  (4)  inches  in 
height,  and  each  stroke  shall  be  of  a 
width  not  less  than  one-half  ( y2 )  inch, 
and  said  number  plates  shall  also  bear 
as  a  part  of  such  number  the  letters 
“HI.”  and  each  of  such  letters  shall  be 
not  less  than  one  inch  in  height.  Such 
number  plates  shall  be  of  distinctly 
different  color  for  each  calendar  year, 
and  there  shall  be  at  all  times  a 
marked  contrast  between  the  color  of 
the  number  plates  and  that  of  the 
figures  and  letters  thereon:  Provided, 
however,  the  same  combination  of 
colors  may  be  repeated  after  the  lapse 
of  five  (5)  years  from  the  date  of 
their  first  issue.  The  owner  of  such 
motor  vehicle  shall  not  be  required  to 
place  any  mark  of  identity  upon  such 
motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  other 
than  the  plates  or  plate  so  delivered 
by  the  Secretary  of  State  and  such 
tax  or  license  number  as  may  be  is¬ 
sued  by  the  city,  village,  town  or  other 
municipal  corporation  within  which 
such  owner  resides. 

§  15.  Any  person  or  persons  who 
shall  cover,  alter,  deface  or  mutilate 
the  license  plate  or  plates  which  are 


15 


furnished  by  the  Secretary  of  State 
shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misde¬ 
meanor  and,  upon  conviction  thereof, 
shall  be  fined  in  a  sum  not  to  exceed 
$100.00. 

§  16.  When  upon  any  public  high¬ 
way  in  this  State,  during  the  period 
from  one  hour  after  sunset  to  sunrise, 
every  motor  bicycle  shall  carry  one 
lighted  lamp  and  every  motor  vehicle 
two  lighted  lamps  showing  white 
lights,  or  lights  of  a  yellow  or  amber 
tint,  visible  at  least  two  hundred  (200) 
feet  in  the  direction  toward  which 
each  motor  bicycle  or  mot<>r  vehicle  is 
proceeding  and  shall  also  exhibit  at 
least  one  lighted  lamp  which  shall  be 
so  situated  as  to  throw  a  red  light 
visible  in  the  reverse  direction.  The 
number  plate  at  the  back  of  the  motor 
vehicle  provided  for  in  section  14  shall 
be  firmly  attached  to  the  vehicle,  so 
that  it  will  not  swing  loosely,  and  shall 
be  so  lighted  that  the  numbers  on  said 
plate  shall  be  plainly  legible  and  in¬ 
telligible  at  a  distance  of  fifty  (50) 
feet.  On  approaching  another  vehicle 
proceeding  in  an  opposite  direction, 
and  when  within  not  less  than  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  same,  any 
person  in  charge  of  a  motor  bicycle  or 
motor  vehicle  equipped  with  electric 
headlight  or  headlights,  shall  dim  or 
extinguish  such  headlight  or  head¬ 
lights:  Provided,  however,  that  the 
provision  herein  contained  in  regard 
to  dimming  or  extinguishing  of  head¬ 
lights  shall  not  apply  when  such  head¬ 
lights  are  equipped  with  an  anti-glare 


16 


device  or  lenses  which  prevent  a  glar¬ 
ing  or  dazzling  light.  During  the 
period  from  one  hour  after  sunset  to 
sunrise  every  motor  bicycle  or  motor 
vehicle  which  is  standing  on  any 
road,  highway  or  street  shall  display 
a  light  on  the  front  and  at  the  rear 
of  the  same. 

§  17.  Every  person,  firm,  association 
or  corporation,  manufacturing  or  deal¬ 
ing  in  motor  vehicles  may,  instead  of 
registering  each  motor  vehicle  so 
manufactured  or  dealt  in,  make  a 
verified  application  upon  a  blank  to 
be  furnished  by  the  Secretary  of  State 
for  a  general  distinctive  number  for 
all  the  motor  vehicles  owned  or  con¬ 
trolled  by  such  manufacturer  or 
dealer,  such  application  to  contain: 
(a)  The  trade  name  or  names  of  the 
make  of  the  motor  vehicle  or  vehicles 
manufactured  or  dealt  in  by  such 
manufacturer  or  dealer,  including  the 
character  of  the  motor  power,  the 
amount  of  such  motor  power  (except 
in  case  of  electrically  propelled  motor 
vehicles)  stated  in  figures  of  horse¬ 
power,  and  (b)  the  name  and  business 
address  of  such  manufacturer  or 
dealer.  Every  applicant  when  making 
such  application  shall  pay  to  the  Sec¬ 
retary  of  State  a  registration  fee  at 
the  following  rates:  For  each  calendar 
year  from  and  after  January  1,  1920, 
the  sum  of  $12.00  per  annum.  Upon 
the  payment  of  such  registration  fee 
such  application  shall  be  filed  and 
recorded  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary 
of  State  in  the  manner  provided  in 


17 


section  8  of  this  Act.  There  shall 
thereupon  be  assigned  and  issued  to 
such  manufacturer  or  dealer  a  general 
distinctive  number,  and  without  fur¬ 
ther  expense  to  him  there  shall  be 
issued  and  promptly  delivered  to  such 
manufacturer  or  dealer  at  his  busi¬ 
ness  address  a  certificate  of  registra¬ 
tion  in  such  form  as  the  Secretary  of 
State  shall  prescribe,  and  two  number 
plates  with  a  number  corresponding 
with  the  number  of  such  certificate 
of  registration.  The  number  plates  so 
issued  shall  be  distinctly  different 
form  than  those  provided  for  in  sec¬ 
tion  14  of  this  Act,  but  shall  corre¬ 
spond  in  color  and  size  of  numbers 
and  letters  with  the  number  plates 
for  motor  vehicles  provided  for  in 
section  14  thereof.  By  filing  applica¬ 
tion  for  the  same,  such  manufacturer 
or  dealer  may  obtain  as  many  dupli¬ 
cates  of  such  number  plates  as  he  may 
desire  upon  payment  to  the  Secretary 
of  State  for  each  set  of  two  plates  the 
sum  of  $12.00  per  annum.  In  case  of 
loss  or  destruction  of  one  plate,  the 
manufacturer  or  dealer  may  obtain  a 
duplicate  of  the  same  by  filing  affi¬ 
davit  to  that  affect  and  upon  the  pay¬ 
ment  of  the  fee  of  $6.00.  Such  num¬ 
ber  plates  shall  be  conspicuously  dis¬ 
played  upon  the  front  and  back  of 
every  motor  vehicle  of  such  manu¬ 
facturer  or  dealer  when  the  same  is 
operated  or  driven  on  the  public  high¬ 
ways.  Such  registration  shall  be  re¬ 
newed  annually  in  the  same  manner 
and  on  the  payment  of  the  same  fee 


18 


as  provided  in  this  section  for  ori¬ 
ginal  registration,  such  renewal  to 
take  effect  on  the  first  day  of  January 
of  each  year.  The  provisions  of  sec¬ 
tion  8  relating  to  first  registrations 
made  in  compliance  therewith  and 
durations  of  renewals  shall  apply  to 
registration  under  this  section!  Upon 
the  sale  of  a  motor  vehicle  by  a  manu¬ 
facturer  or  dealer,  the  purchaser  shall 
be  permitted  to  operate  the  same  upon 
the  public  highways  of  this  State  for 
a  period  of  ten  days  after  taking  pos¬ 
session  thereof,  without  carrying  li¬ 
cense  plates,  as  provided  in  section 
14  ofv  this  Act,  if  the  purchaser  shall 
have  in  his  possession  a  bill  of  sale, 
as  hereinfater  [hereinafter]  provided, 
and  if  proper  application  for  the  reg¬ 
istration  of  such  motor  vehicle  shall 
have  been  mailed  or  presented  to  the 
Secretary  of  State,  together  with  the 
required  fee,  within  twenty-four  hours 
after  he  has  taken  possession  thereof. 

Upon  the  sale  of  a  motor  vehicle  by 
a  manufacturer  or  dealer,  he  shall 
thereupon  give  to  the  purchaser  a  bill 
of  sale  setting  forth  the  name  and 
address  of  the  purchaser,  the  date  of 
purchase,  together  with  a  description 
of  such  motor  vehicle,  showing  name 
of  manufacturer,  style,  factory  and 
engine  numbers,  and  amount  of  horse¬ 
power. 

The  names  of  the  licensed  manu¬ 
facturers  and  dealers  shall  be  fur¬ 
nished  the  county  clerks,  sheriffs  and 
the  chiefs  of  police  in  the  same  man- 


19 


ner  as  provided  for  in  section  8  in 
respect  to  owners. 

§  18.  No  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bi¬ 
cycle  shall  be  used  or  operated  upon 
the  public  highways  of  this  State  after 
this  Act  shall  take  effect  which  shall 
display  thereon  a  number  belonging 
to  any  other  vehicle  or  bicycle  or 
fictitious  registration  number:  Pro¬ 
vided,  however,  that  this  section  shall 
not  be  construed  to  prohibit  any  other 
number  being  displayed  for  any  law¬ 
ful  purpose  upon  a  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  in  addition  to  the  num¬ 
ber  plates  issued  by  the  Secretary  of 
State  as  aforesaid. 

By  the  first  day  of  January  of  each 
calendar  year  the  owner  of  any  li¬ 
censed  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle 
shall  file  with  the  Secretary  of  State 
a  properly  executed  application  for 
the  re-registration  of  the  same,  and 
such  application  shall  be  accompanied 
by  the  fee  required  in  each  case  by 
this  Act. 

§  19.  Immediately  upon  the  sale  and 
delivery  of  any  motor  vehicle  or  motor 
bicycle  which  has  been  registered  as 
herein  provided  prior  to  the  date  of 
such  sale  by  any  person  other  than  a 
manufacturer  or  dealer,  the  vendor 
shall  remove  the  number  plate  or 
plates  from  the  motor  vehicle  or  motor 
bicycle  so  sold,  and  within  ten  days 
after  the  date  of  such  sale  the  vendor 
shall  send  a  statement  of  such  sale, 
showing  the  date  thereof,  the  registra¬ 
tion  number  of  the  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  so  sold,  and  the  name 


20 


of  the  purchaser  to  the  Secretary  of 
State;  and  thereupon  such  number 
plate  or  plates  shall  cease  to  apply 
to  the  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle 
so  sold,  and  the  purchaser  shall  regis¬ 
ter  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  an  ori¬ 
ginal  registration.  In  all  such  cases, 
the  vendor  shall  give  to  the  purchaser 
a  bill  of  sale,  which  shall  conform  to 
the  requirements  contained  in  section 
17  of  this  Act.  Upon  the  payment  to 
the  Secretary  of  State  of  a  fee  of  one 
dollar  any  other  motor  vehicle  of  like 
horsepower  or  capacity  or  less,  or  any 
motor  bicycle  owned  by  such  vendor 
may  be  registered  by  such  vendor,  and 
the  number  plate  or  plates  so  re¬ 
moved  from  the  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  so  sold  shall  be  assigned 
by  the  Secretary  of  State  and  shall 
apply  to  and  be  used  upon  such  other 
motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  until 
the  thirty-first  day  of  December  then 
next  ensuing:  Provided,  however,  that 
in  case  the  horsepower  or  capacity  of 
any  motor  vehicle  to  which  the  unex¬ 
pired  term  of  the  registration  of  the 
vehicle  sold  is  sought  to  be  applied 
would  have  required  the  payment  of  a 
larger  registration  fee  than  was  paid 
upon  the  registration  of  the  motor 
vehicle  so  sold,  the  vendor  thereof 
shall,  before  the  number  plates  may 
be  applied  to  or  used  upon  such  motor 
vehicle  of  greater  horsepower,  or  ca¬ 
pacity,  pay  to  the  Secretary  of  State 
such  a  sum  as  added  to  the  amount 
of  the  original  registration  fee  paid 
for  the  year  in  which  such  motor  ve- 


21 


hide  is  sold,  equals  the  amount  of  the 
registration  fee  provided  by  this  Act 
to  be  paid  upon  the  registration  of  a 
motor  vehicle  of  such  greater  horse¬ 
power  or  capacity:  Provided ,  however, 
that  the  registration  fee  paid  by  the 
State  of  Illinois  or  by  any  county, 
township,  city,  village  or  incorporated 
town  for  each  motor  vehicle  or  motor 
bicycle  owned  and  operated  by  it  shall 
be  two  dollars  for  each  calendar  year. 

§  20.  The  provisions  of  sections  8, 
14,  17,  18  and  19  of  this  Act  shall  not 
apply  to  any  motor  vehicle  or  motor 
bicycle  owned  by  non-residents  of  this 
State,  but  foreign  corporations  own¬ 
ing,  maintaining  or  operating  places 
of  business  in  this  State  and  using 
motor  vehicles  or  motor  bicycles  in 
connection  with  such  places  of  busi¬ 
ness,  shall  not  be  exempt  from  the  pro¬ 
visions  of  sections  8,  14,  17,  18  and  19 
of  this  Act  in  so  far  as  the  motor 
vehicles  and  motor  bicycles  used  in 
connection  with  such  places  of  busi¬ 
ness  are  concerned:  Provided,  the 
owner  thereof  has  complied  with  any 
law  requiring  the  registration  of 
motor  vehicles  or  motor  bicycles  or 
the  names  of  the  owners  thereof  in 
force  in  the  city,  state,  foreign  coun¬ 
try  or  province,  territory  or  federal 
district  of  his  residence:  Provided, 
that  the  registration  number  showing 
the  initial  or  abbreviation  of  the  name 
of  such  city,  state,  foreign  country  or 
province,  territory  or  federal  district, 
shall  be  displayed  on  such  vehicle 
substantially  as  is  provided  in  section 


22 


14  of  this  Act:  Provided,  further,  that 
the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  be 
operative  as  to  a  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  owned  by  a  non-resident 
of  this  State  only  to  the  extent  that 
under  the  laws  of  the  city,  state,  for¬ 
eign  country  or  province,  territory  or 
federal  district  of  his  residence,  like 
exemptions  and  privileges  are  granted 
to  motor  vehicles  or  motor  bicycles 
duly  registered  under  the  laws  of  and 
owned  by  residents  of  this  State: 
Provided,  further,  that  a  non-resident 
within  the  meaning  of  this  Act  shall 
be  held  and  defined  to  mean  a  person 
temporarily  sojourning  within  this 
State  for  a  period  of  six  months  or 
less  in  any  one  year. 

§  21.  Every  motor  vehicle  and  motor 
bicycle  while  in  use  on  a  public  high¬ 
way  shall  be  provided  with  good  and 
sufficient  brakes  and  also  with  a  suit¬ 
able  bell,  horn  or  other  signal  device. 
No  part  of  the  machinery  of  any  motor 
vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  shall  be  left 
running  while  such  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  is  left  standing  without 
an  attendant  on  any  public  highway 
in  this  State. 

§  22.  No  person  shall  drive  a  vehicle 
of  the  First  Division  as  described  in 
section  2  of  this  Act,  upon  any  public 
highway  in  this  State  at  a  speed 
greater  than  is  reasonable  and  proper 
having  regard  to  the  traffic  and  the 
use  of  the  way  or  so  as  to  endanger 
the  life  or  limb  or  injure  the  property 
of  any  person.  If  the  rate  of  speed 
of  any  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle 


23 


of  said  First  Division,  operated  upon 
any  public  highway  in  this  State 
where  the  same  passes  through  the 
closely  built  up  business  portions  of 
any  incorporated  city,  town  or  village 
exceeds  ten  (10)  miles  an  hour,  or  if 
the  rate  of  speed  of  any  such  motor 
vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  operated  on 
any  public  highway  in  this  State 
where  the  same  passes  through  the 
residence  portions  of  any  incorporated 
city,  town  or  village  exceeds  fifteen 
(15)  miles  an  hour,  or  if  the  rate 
of  speed  of  any  such  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  operated  on  any  public 
highway  in  this  State  outside  the 
closely  built  up  business  portions  and 
the  residence  portions  wfithin  any  in¬ 
corporated  city,  town  or  village  ex¬ 
ceeds  twenty  (20)  miles  an  hour  or 
upon  any  public  highway  outside  of 
the  limits  of  an  incorporated  city, 
town  or  village,  if  the  rate  of  speed 
exceeds  thirty  (30)  miles  an  hour, 
such  rates  of  speed  shall  be  prima 
facie  evidence  that  the  person  operat¬ 
ing  such  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bi¬ 
cycle  is  running  at  a  rate  of  speed 
greater  than  is  reasonable  and  prop¬ 
er  having  regard  to  the  traffic  and 
the  use  of  the  way  or  so  as  to  en¬ 
danger  the  life  or  limb  or  injure 
the  property  of  any  person.  If  the 
rate  of  speed  of  any  such  motor  ve¬ 
hicle  or  motor  bicycle  operated  on  any 
public  highway  in  this  State  in  going 
around  a  corner  or  curve  in  a  high¬ 
way  where  the  operator’s  view  of  the 
road  traffic  is  obstructed  exceeds  six 


24 


(6)  miles  an  hour,  such  rate  of  speed 
shall  be  prima  facie  evidence  that  the 
person  operating  such  motor  vehicle 
or  motor  bicycle  is  running  at  a  rate 
of  speed  greater  than  is  reasonable 
having  regard  to  the  traffic  and  the 
use  of  the  way,  or  so  as  to  endanger 
the  life  or  limb  or  injure  the  property 
of  any  person. 

§  23.  The  speed  of  all  vehicles  of 
said  Second  Division,  as  described  in 
section  2  of  this  Act,  shall  always  be 
reasonable  and  safe  and  be  governed, 
as  near  as  may  be,  by  the  general  re¬ 
quirements  of  section  22  of  this  Act, 
but  such  speed  shall  not  exceed  the 
following  rates,  to-wit: 

(1)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  five  thousand  (5,000)  pounds  and 
less,  including  the  weight  of  the  ve¬ 
hicle  and  maximum  load,  if  equipped 
with-  pneumatic  tires,  25  miles  per 
hour;  if  equipped  with  two  or  more 
solid  rubber  tires,  20  miles  per  hour. 

(2)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  more  than  five  thousand  (5,000) 
pounds  and  not  more  than  twelve 
thousand  (12,000)  pounds,  including 
the  weight  of  the  vehicle  and  maxi¬ 
mum  load,  if  equipped  with  pneumatic 
tires,  20  miles  per  hour;  if  equipped 
with  solid  rubber  tires,  15  miles  per 
hour. 

(3)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  more  than  twelve  thousand  (12,000) 
pounds  and  not  more  than  fifteen 
thousand  (15,000)  pounds,  including 
the  weight  of  the  vehicle  and  maxi¬ 
mum  load,  if  equipped  with  pneumatic 


25 


tires,  15  miles  per  hour;  if  equipped 
with  solid  rubber  tires,  12  miles  per 
hour. 

(4)  Vehicles  having  a  gross  weight 
of  more  than  fifteen  thousand  (15,000) 
pounds,  including  the  weight  of  the 
vehicle  and  maximum  load,  12  miles 
per  hour. 

§  24.  The  above  regulations  in  sec¬ 
tion  23  are  subject  to  the  following 
modifications,  to-wit: 

(1)  Restrictions  as  to  weight  and 
speed  shall  not  apply  to  vehicles  run 
upon  rails  or  tracks  or  to  police 
vehicles,  fire  engines,  fire  trucks,  or 
voluntary  fire  departments. 

(2)  Upon  application  to  the  high¬ 
way  or  street  officials  having  proper 
jurisdiction  over  a  particular  high¬ 
way,  special  permits  in  writing  may 
be  granted  for  the  moving  of  heavier 
vehicles  or  objects  on  wheels,  subject 
to  such  conditions  as  such  highway 
or  street  officials  may  prescribe.  On 
all  highways  under  the  control  of,  or 
required  to  be  maintained  in  whole  or 
in  part,  by  the  State,  such  permission 
shall  be  obtained  from  the  Department 
of  Public  Works  and  Buildings. 

(3)  At  the  season  of  the  year  when 
the  frost  is  leaving  the  ground,  high¬ 
way  officials  having  proper  jurisdic¬ 
tion  may,  on  definitely  designated 
highways,  prohibit  the  operation  of 
vehicles  having  a  gross  weight,  in¬ 
cluding  the  weight  of  vehicle  and 
load,  of  more  than  5,000  pounds,  by 
posting  notices  along  such  roads: 
Provided,  however,  that  the  entire 


26 


time  of  such  embargo  shall  not  exceed 
forty-five  days  in  any  one  year. 

§  25.  Any  person  driving  a  motor 
vehicle  or  a  motor  bicycle  upon  a 
public  highway  in  this  State  in  a 
race,  shall,  upon  conviction,  be  fined 
in  a  sum  not  exceeding  $200.00. 

§  26.  No  owner  of  a  motor  vehicle 
or  motor  bicycle  who  shall  have  ob¬ 
tained  a  certificate  from  the  Secretary 
of  State  and  paid  the  registration  fee 
as  hereinbefore  provided,  shall  be  re¬ 
quired  by  any  city,  village,  town  or 
other  municipal  corporation  within 
the  State  other  than  that  within  which 
said  owner  resides  to  pay  any  tax  or 
license  fee  for  the  use  of  such  motor 
vehicle  or  motor  bicycle;  and  no  owner 
of  a  motor  vehicle  except  motor  trucks 
and  motor  driven  commercial  vehicles 
and  motor  vehicles  which  are  used 
for  public  hire,  or  motor  bicycle,  who 
shall  have  obtained  such  certificate 
and  paid  such  fee  shall  be  required 
by  the  city,  village  or  town  within 
which  he  resides  (if  he  resides  within 
a  city,  village  or  town),  to  pay  a  tax 
or  license  fee  for  the  use  of  such 
motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  in  ex¬ 
cess  of  the  sum  of  ten  dollars  per 
annum  for  motor  vehicles  or  motor 
bicycles  of  thirty-five  horsepower  or 
less  or  in  excess  of  the  sum  of  twenty 
dollars  per  annum  for  motor  vehicles 
or  motor  bicycles  of  more  than  thirty- 
five  horsepower  in  such  city,  village 
or  town  within  which  he  resides  shall 
have  a  population  of  150,000  or  over, 
or  in  excess  of  the  sum  of  five  dollars 


27 


per  annum  for  motor  vehicles  or  motor 
bicycles  of  thirty-five  horsepower  or 
less  or  in  excess  of  the  sum  of  ten 
dollars  per  annum  for  motor  vehicles 
or  motor  bicycles  of  more  than  thirty- 
five  horsepower  in  case  such  city,  vil¬ 
lage  or  town  within  which  he  resides 
shall  have  a  population  of  less  than 
150,000.  The  proceeds  of  all  fees  so 
collected  by  any  city,  town  or  village 
shall  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  im¬ 
proving,  paving,  repairing  or  main¬ 
taining  the  streets  and  other  public 
roadways  within  such  city,  town  or 
village  and  shall  never  be  devoted  to 
any  other  use  whatever:  Provided, 
that  the  actual  cost  of  the  collection 
of  such  fees  and  the  disbursement 
thereof  may  be  deducted  from  the 
total  amount  collected. 

Nor  shall  such  owner  be  required 
to  display  upon  his  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  any  other  plate  or  tax 
or  license  number  than  that  issued  by 
the  Secretary  of  State  or  by  the  city, 
village,  town  or  other  municipal  cor¬ 
poration  within  the  State  within  which 
said  owner  resides,  nor  be  limited  as 
to  speed  upon  any  public  street,  ave¬ 
nue,  road,  turnpike,  driveway,  park¬ 
way,  or  any  other  public  place,  at  any 
time  when  the  same  is  or  may  here¬ 
after  be  opened  to  the  use  of  persons 
having  or  using  other  vehicles,  nor  be 
required  to  comply  with  other  pro¬ 
visions  or  conditions  as  to  the  use  of 
said  motor  vehicles  or  motor  bicycles 
except  as  in  this  Act  provided:  Pro¬ 
vided  however,  that  nothing  in  this 


28 


section  contained  shall  be  construed 
to  apply  to,  or  include,  any  speedway 
created,  provided  for,  or  maintained 
by  the  local  authorities  of  any  city, 
village,  town  or  other  municipal  cor¬ 
poration  within  the  State:  And,  pro¬ 
vided,  further,  that  the  local  authori¬ 
ties  having  jurisdiction  over  the  pub¬ 
lic  parks  shall  not  by  the  terms  of 
this  Act  be  prohibited  from  adopting 
and  enforcing  such  reasonable  ordi¬ 
nances,  rules  and  regulations  concern¬ 
ing  the  speed  at  which  motor  vehicles 
or  motor  bicycles  may  be  operated 
within  any  such  parks,  provided  the 
rate  of  speed  of  motor  vehicles  or 
motor  bicycles  fixed  by  such  ordi¬ 
nances,  rules  or  regulations  shall  not 
be  lower  than  the  rate  fixed  for  other 
vehicles,  and  provided  such  authority 
shall,  by  signs  conspicuously  placed, 
indicate  the  rate  of  speed  permitted 
by  such  ordinances,  rules  or  regula¬ 
tions:  And,  provided,  further,  that 
motor  vehicles  or  motor  bicycles  may 
be  excluded  from  any  cemetery  or 
grounds  for  the  burial  of  the  dead  by 
the  authorities  having  jurisdiction 
over  the  same.  Except  as  in  this  sec¬ 
tion  provided,  no  city,  town  or  village 
or  other  municipality  shall  have  power 
to  make  any  ordinance,  by-laws  or 
resolutions  limiting  or  restricting  the 
speed  of  motor  vehicles  or  motor  bi¬ 
cycles,  and  no  ordinance,  by-law  or 
resolution  heretofore  or  hereafter 
made  by  any  city,  village  or  town  or 
other  municipal  corporation  within 
this  State,  by  whatever  name  known 


29 


or  designated,  in  respect  to  or  limit¬ 
ing  the  speed  of  motor  vehicles  or 
motor  bicycles  shall  have  any  force, 
effect  or  validity,  and  they  are  hereby 
declared  to  be  of  no  validity  or  effect: 
Provided,  that  nothing  in  this  Act  con¬ 
tained  shall  be  construed  as  affecting 
the  power  of  municipal  corporations 
to  make  and  enforce  ordinances,  rules 
and  regulations  affecting  motor  trucks 
and  motor  driven  commercial  vehicles 
used  within  their  limits  for  public 
hire,  or  from  making  and  enforcing 
reasonable  traffic  and  other  regula¬ 
tions  except  as  to  rates  of  speed  not 
inconsistent  with  the  provisions 
hereof. 

§  27.  An  application  for  a  license  to 
operate  motor  vehicles  as  a  chauffeur, 
who  is  hereby  defined  to  mean  any 
person  operating  a  motor  vehicle  as  a 
mechanic  or  employee,  and  who  di¬ 
rectly  or  indirectly  receives  pay  or 
any  compensation  whatsoever  for  any 
work  or  services  in  connection  with 
the  operation  of  a  motor  vehicle  or  the 
transportation  of  passengers  or  mer¬ 
chandise  with  a  motor  vehicle  for  hire 
or  for  pecuniary  profit,  shall  be  made 
by  mail  or  otherwise  to  the  Secretary 
of  State,  or  his  duly  authorized  agent, 
upon  blanks  prepared  under  his  au¬ 
thority.  The  Secretary  of  State  shall 
appoint  examiners  and  cause  exami¬ 
nations  to  be  held  at  convenient 
points  throughout  the  State  as  often 
as  may  be  necessary.  Such  applica¬ 
tions  shall  be  accompanied  by  the  fee 
provided  herein  and  by  a  photograph 


30 


of  the  applicant  in  such  numbers  and 
forms  as  the  Secretary  of  State  shall 
prescribe,  and  such  photographs  shall 
have  been  taken  within  thirty  days 
prior  to  the  tiling  of  such  application. 
Such  applications  shall  also  be  accom¬ 
panied  by  a  written  statement  signed 
by  at  least  two  reputable  citizens  that 
the  applicant  is  a  fit  and  proper  per¬ 
son,  competent  to  operate  a  motor 
vehicle. 

Before  such  a  license  is  granted  the 
applicant  shall  pass  such  an  examina¬ 
tion  as  to  his  qualifications  as  the 
Secretary  of  State  shall  require  and 
no  license  shall  be  issued  until  the 
Secretary  of  State,  or  his  authorized 
agent,  is  satisfied  that  the  applicant  is 
a  proper  person  to  receive  it,  and  no 
chauffeur’s  license  shall  be  issued  to 
any  person  under  eighteen  years  of 
age.  A  distinguishing  number  or  mark 
shall  be  assigned  to  each  chauffeur  to 
whom  a  license  shall  be  issued  and 
the  license  shall  be  in  such  form  as 
the  Secretary  of  State  may  determine; 
it  may  contain  special  restrictions  and 
limitations  concerning  the  type  of 
motor  car,  horsepower,  design  and 
other  features  of  the  motor  vehicle 
which  the  licensee  may  operate.  It 
shall  contain  the  distinguishing  num¬ 
ber  or  mark  assigned  to  the  licensee, 
his  name,  place  of  residence  and  ad¬ 
dress,  a  brief  description  of  the  li¬ 
censee  for  the  purpose  of  identification 
and  a  photograph  of  the  licensee.  The 
holder  of  every  such  license  shall  en¬ 
dorse  his  usual  signature  on  the  mar- 


31 


gin  of  the  license  in  a  space  to  be 
provided  for  that  purpose,  immedi¬ 
ately  upon  receipt  of  said  license, 
which  shall  not  be  valid  until  so  en¬ 
dorsed.  Every  application  for  a  li¬ 
cense  filed  under  the  provisions  of  this 
section  shall  be  sworn  to  and  shall  be 
accompanied  by  a  fee  of  $5.00. 

Upon  receipt  of  such  an  application, 
the  Secretary  of  State  shall  record  the 
same  in  his  office  in  the  manner  des¬ 
ignated  for  recording  the  owners  of 
motor  vehicles,  and  when  the  appli¬ 
cant  shall  have  passed  the  examina¬ 
tion  herein  provided  for,  the  number 
or  mark  assigned  to  such  applicant, 
together  with  the  fact  that  such  ap¬ 
plicant  has  passed  such  examination, 
shall  be  noted  in  said  record,  and  the 
names  of  the  licensed  chauffeurs  shall 
be  furnished  the  county  clerks,  sheriffs 
and  the  chiefs  of  police  in  the  same 
manner  as  provided  for  in  section  8 
in  respect  to  owners. 

No  person  shall  operate  or  drive  a 
motor  vehicle  as  a  chauffeur  upon  a 
public  highway  of  this  State,  unless 
such  person  shall  have  complied  in 
all  respects  with  the  requirements  of 
this  section:  Provided ,  however,  that 
a  non-resident  chauffeur  who  has  reg¬ 
istered  under  the  provisions  of  the 
law  in  force  in  the  city,  state,  foreign 
country  or  province,  territory  or  fed¬ 
eral  district,  of  his  residence,  sub¬ 
stantially  equivalent  to  the  provisions 
of  this  section,  shall  be  exempt  from 
license  hereunder,  while  temporarily 
sojourning  within  this  State,  only  to 


32 


the  extent  that  under  the  laws  of  the 
city,  state,  foreign  country  or  province, 
territory  or  federal  district  of  his  resi¬ 
dence  like  privileges  are  granted  to 
persons  duly  licensed  and  registered 
as  chauffeurs  under  the  laws  of  this 
State,  and  who  are  residents  of  this 
State.  Licenses  may  be  renewed  an¬ 
nually  in  the  same  manner  as  first 
registration,  upon  the  payment  of  fee 
of  $3.00,  and  shall  take  effect  on  the 
first  day  of  January  of  each  year: 
Provided,  that  if  it  shall  be  made  to 
appear  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Sec¬ 
retary  of  State  that  any  chauffeur 
shall  have  driven  or  operated  a  motor 
vehicle  within  this  State  while  under 
the  influence  of  intoxicating  liquor  the 
Secretary  of  State  shall  thereupon 
immediately  cancel  the  license  of  said 
chauffeur.  Not  less  than  three  months 
after  cancellation  this  license  may  be 
renewed  at  the  discretion  of  the  Sec¬ 
retary  of  State. 

§  28.  The  Secretary  of  State  shall 
furnish  to  every  chauffeur  so  licensed 
a  suitable  metal  badge  with  the  dis¬ 
tinguishing  number  or  mark  assigned 
to  him  thereon,  without  extra  charge 
therefor,  and  this  badge  shall  be  worn 
by  such  chauffeur  pinned  upon  his 
clothing  in  a  conspicuous  place,  at  all 
times  while  he  is  operating  or  driving 
a  motor  vehicle  on  the  public  high¬ 
ways.  Said  badge  shall  be  valid  only 
during  the  term  of  the  license  of  the 
chauffeur  to  whom  it  is  issued  as 
aforesaid. 


33 


Upon  filing  in  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  State  an  affidavit  to  the 
effect  that  the  original  badge  or  cer¬ 
tificate  of  registration  is  lost,  stolen 
or  destroyed,  and  upon  the  payment 
of  a  fee  of  fifty  cents,  a  duplicate 
badge  or  certificate  of  registration  will 
be  furnished. 

No  chauffeur  having  been  licensed 
as  herein  provided  shall  permit  any 
other  person  to  possess  or  use  his 
license  or  badge,  nor  shall  any  person 
while  operating  or  driving  a  motor 
vehicle  use  or  possess  any  license  or 
badge  belonging  to  another  person  or 
a  fictitious  license  or  badge. 

§  29.  No  person  or  corporation  shall 
employ,  as  a  chauffeur  or  operator 
of  a  motor  vehicle,  any  person  not 
specially  licensed  as  aforesaid. 

§  30.  No  chauffeur  or  other  person 
shall  drive  or  operate  any  motor  ve¬ 
hicle  or  motor  bicycle  upon  any  street, 
or  highway  in  this  State  in  the  ab¬ 
sence  of  the  owner  of  such  motor 
vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  without  said 
owner’s  consent;  and  no  chauffeur  or 
other  person  having  the  care  of  a 
motor  vehicle  for  the  owner  shall 
receive  or  take  directly,  or  indirectly, 
any  bonus,  discount  or  other  consid¬ 
eration,  for  the  purchase  of  supplies 
or  parts  for  such  motor  vehicle  or 
for  work  or  labor  done  thereon  by 
others;  and  no  person  furnishing 
such  supplies  or  parts,  work  or  labor, 
shall  give  or  offer  any  such  chauffeur 
or  any  other  person  having  the  care 
of  a  motor  vehicle  for  the  owner 


34 


thereof,  either  directly  or  indirectly, 
any  bonus,  discount  or  other  consider¬ 
ation  thereon.  Any  person  violating 
any  of  the  provisions  of  this  section 
shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and 
upon  conviction  shall  be  fined  the 
sum  not  exceeding  two  hundred  dol¬ 
lars  ($200.00),  or  imprisoned  in  the 
county  jail  for  a  period  not  exceeding 
six  (6)  months,  or  both,  in  the  discre¬ 
tion  of  the  court. 

§  31.  No  person  shall  operate  or 
drive  a  motor  vehicle  who  is  under 
fifteen  years  of  age,  unless  such  per¬ 
son  is  accompanied  by  a  duly  licensed 
chauffeur  or  the  owner  of  the  motor 
vehicle  being  operated. 

§  32.  Any  person  who  shall,  without 
the  consent  of  the  owner,  start  or 
cause  to  be  started  the  motor  of  any 
motor  vehicle,  or  shift,  change,  or 
move  the  levers,  brake,  starting  de¬ 
vice,  gears,  or  other  mechanism  of  a 
standing  motor  vehicle  to  a  position 
other  than  that  in  which  it  was  left 
by  the  owner  or  driver  thereof,  or  at¬ 
tempt  to  do  so,  or  shall  intentionally 
cut,  mark,  scratch  or  damage  any 
part  or  portion  of  said  motor  vehicle 
or  any  accessories,  equipment,  appur¬ 
tenance,  or  attachments  thereof,  shall, 
upon  conviction  thereof,  be  punished 
by  a  fine  not  exceeding  one  hundred 
dollars  ($100.00)  or  imprisonment  in 
the  county  jail  for  a  period  not  ex¬ 
ceeding  six  (6)  months,  or  both  such 
fine  and  imprisonment,  in  the  discre¬ 
tion  of  the  court:  Provided,  that  this 
section  shall  not  apply  in  the  case  of 


35 


moving  or  starting  of  motor  vehicles 
by  the  police  or  peace  officers  for  law¬ 
ful  purposes,  nor  by  members  of  fire 
departments  in  cases  of  emergency  in 
the  vicinity  of  a  fire,  nor  to  the  chang¬ 
ing  of  a  position  of  said  motor  vehicle 
temporarily  without  starting  the 
motor  of  the  same  by  any  one  for  the 
purpose  of  extricating  another  vehicle 
from  a  congested  position. 

§  33.  All  vehicles  traveling  upon 
public  highways  shall  give  the  right 
of  way  to  other  vehicles  approaching 
along  intersecting  highways  from  the 
right,  and  shall  have  the  right  of  way 
over  those  approaching  from  the  left: 
Provided ,  however,  that  police  vehi¬ 
cles,  fire  departments,  vehicles  trans¬ 
porting  United  States  mail,  and  am¬ 
bulances  shall  have  the  right  of 
way  over  other  vehicles:  And,  pro¬ 
vided,  also,  that  incorporated  cities, 
having  a  population  of  more  than 
10,000  inhabitants,  may  designate 
certain  streets  or  boulevards  as  pre¬ 
ferential  traffic  streets,  and  prescribe 
rules  regulating  traffic  upon,  crossing 
over,  or  turning  into  such  streets  or 
boulevards:  And,  provided,  further, 
that  the  specifications  regulating  traf¬ 
fic  may  be  enforced  at  points  where 
traffic  officers  are  stationed.  No 
driver  of  a  vehicle  shall  suddenly 
stop,  slow  down  or  attempt  to  turn 
around  without  first  signalling  his 
intentions  without  outstretched  arm  to 
those  following  closely  in  the  rear. 

§  34.  Any  person  or  persons  who 
shall  destroy  or  cause  to  be  destroyed, 


36 


remove,  cover,  alter  or  deface,  or 
cause  to  be  removed,  covered,  altered 
or  defaced,  the  engine  number  or 
other  distinguishing  number  of  any 
motor  vehicle  in  this  State,  the  prop¬ 
erty  of  another,  for  any  reason  what¬ 
soever,  or  who  shall  give  a  wrong 
description  in  an  application  for  the 
registration  of  any  motor  vehicle  in 
this  State  for  the  purpose  of  conceal¬ 
ing  or  hiding  theidentity  of  Such 
motor  vehicle,  shall  be  deemed  guilty 
of  a  felony,  and  upon  conviction  there¬ 
of  shall  be  punished  by  imprisonment 
in  the  State  penitentiary  for  a  term 
of  not  less  than  one  year  nor  more 
than  five  years. 

§  35.  Any  person  or  persons,  firm 
or  corporation,  who,  after  the  taking 
effect  of  this  Act  shall  sell  or  offer 
for  sale  in  this  State,  or  who  shall 
own  or  have  the  custody  or  possession 
of  a  motor  vehicle,  the  original  en¬ 
gine  number  of  which  has  been  de¬ 
stroyed,  removed,  altered,  covered,  or 
defaced,  or  who  shall  sell  or  offer  for 
sale,  own  or  have  the  custody  or 
possession  of  a  motor  vehicle  having 
no  engine'  number,  excepting  electri¬ 
cally  propelled  motor  vehicles,  shall 
be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor, 
and  upon  conviction  thereof  shall  be 
punished  by  a  fine  of  not  less  than 
two  hundred  dollars  ($200.00)  nor 
more  than  five  hundred  dollars 
($500.00),  or  by  imprisonment  in  the 
county  jail  for  a  term  of  not  less  than 
thirty  days  nor  more  than  one  hun- 


37 


dred  eighty  days,  or  by  both  such  fine 
and  imprisonment,  and  upon  a  second 
conviction  under  this  section  the  pun¬ 
ishment  shall  be  imprisonment  in  the 
penitentiary  for  a  term  not  less  than 
one  year  nor  more  than  five  years; 
Provided,  that  any  person  or  persons, 
firm  or  corporation,  being  the  owner 
or  custodian  of  or  having  possession 
of  a  motor  vehicle  at  the  time  of  the 
taking  effect  of  this  Act,  the  original 
engine  number  of  which  had  been 
previously  destroyed,  removed,  altered 
or  defaced,  shall  before  the  expiration 
of  thirty  days  after  the  taking  effect 
of  this  Act  apply  to  the  Secretary  of 
State,  on  a  blank  to  be  prepared  and 
furnished  by  the  Secretary  of  State, 
upon  request,  for  permission  to  make 
or  stamp,  or  cause  to  be  made 
or  stamped  on  the  engine  of  such 
motor  vehicle  a  special  engine  num¬ 
ber.  The  application  for  permission 
to  make  or  stamp  a  special  engine 
number  on  the  engine  of  a  motor  ve¬ 
hicle  under  the  provisions  of  this 
Act  shall  contain  a  description  of  such 
motor  vehicle,  including  the  make, 
style  and  year  of  model  of  the  same, 
as  complete  a  description  of  the  origi¬ 
nal  engine  number,  if  any  part  of  the 
same  remains,  as  is  possible  to  give, 
any  distinguishing  marks  that  may 
be  on  the  engine  or  body  of  such 
motor  vehicle,  and  the  name  and  post- 
office  address  of  the  applicant,  the 
date  on  which  he  purchased  or  pro¬ 
cured  possession  of  the  same,  the 
name  and  postoffice  address  of  the 


38 


person  or  persons  from  whom  he 
purchased  such  motor  vehicle,  and 
such  information  as  the  Secretary 
of  State  may  require,  all  of  which  de¬ 
scription  and  facts  shall  be  sworn  to 
by  said  applicant.  -  Upon  receipt  of 
such  application,  together  with  a  fee 
of  one  dollar  ($1.00),  the  Secretary  of 
State  shall  issue  to  said  applicant 
written  permission  to  make  or  stamp 
on  the  engine  of  such  motor  vehicle 
a  special  engine  number  to  be  desig¬ 
nated  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  and 
when  subh  special  engine  number  so 
designated  has  been  stamped  or  other¬ 
wise  placed  on  the  engine  of  such 
motor  vehicle,  it  shall  become  and 
thereafter  be  the  lawful,  engine  num¬ 
ber  of  such  motor  vehicle  for  the  pur¬ 
poses  of  identification  and  registration 
and  for  all  other  purposes  under  the 
provisions  of  this  Act,  and  the  owner 
thereof  may  sell  and  transfer  the 
same  under  said  special  engine  num¬ 
ber  so  designated  by  the  Secretary 
of  State;  and  any  person  or  persons 
who  shall  destroy,  remove,  cover,  alter 
or  deface  any  special  engine  number 
so  designated  by  the  Secretary  of 
State  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a 
felony,  and  upon  conviction  thereof, 
shall  be  punished  by  imprisonment  in 
the  State  penitentiary  for  a  term  of 
not  less  than  one  year  nor  more  than 
five  years. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  sheriff, 
deputy  sheriff,  constable,  chief  of  po¬ 
lice  or  other  peace  officer  in  this  State 
having  knowledge  of  a  motor  vehicle, 


39 


tne  engine  number  of  which  has  been 
destroyed,  removed,  covered,  altered 
or  defaced,  to  immediately  seize  and 
take  possession  of  such  motor  vehicle, 
arrest  the  supposed  owner  and  cus¬ 
todian  thereof,  and  cause  prosecution 
to  be  brought  in  a  court  of  competent 
jurisdiction.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of 
the  court  to  retain  the  custody  of  said 
motor  vehicle  pending  the  prosecution 
of  the  person  arrested, ,  and  in  case 
such  person  shall  be  found  guilty  said 
motor  vehicle  shall  remain  in  the 
custody  of  the  court  until  the  fine  and 
costs  of  prosecution  shall  be  paid.  In 
which  event  the  court  shall  deliver 
said  motor  vehicle  to  such  supposed 
owner  or  custodian  for  the  sole  pur¬ 
pose  of  removing  said  engine  from 
said  motor  vehicle  and  tearing  apart 
said  engine  and  disposing  of  same  for 
junk.  In  case  such  fine  and  costs  shall 
not  be  paid  within  thirty  days  from 
the  date  of  the  rendition  of  judgment 
said  court  shall  proceed  to  advertise 
and  sell  said  motor  vehicle  in  the 
manner  provided  by  law  for  the  sale 
of  personal  property  under  execution. 
Such  advertisement  shall  contain,  as 
nearly  as  may  be,  as  full  a  description 
of  such  motor  vehicle  as  is  prescribed 
by  section  8  of  this  Act  in  case  of  an 
application  for  license,  and  a  copy  of 
such  advertisement  shall  be  mailed  to 
the  Secretary  of  State.  The  proceeds 
of  such  sale  shall  be  applied  on  the 
payment  of  the  fine  and  costs  of  such 
prosecution  and  sale,  and  if  after  the 
payment  of  the  same  there  shall  be 


40 


any  sum  remaining,  such  sum  shall  be 
paid  by  the  court  to  such  supposed 
owner  or  custodian  of  such  motor  ve¬ 
hicle.  The  purchaser  of  said  motor 
vehicle  shall  remove  said  engine  from 
said  motor  vehicle  and  shall  tear  the 
same  apart  and  shall  not  dispose  of 
it  as  a  whole  or  so  that  it  might  be 
thereafter  used  as  an  engine  in  any 
motor  vehicle.  If  at  any  time  while 
such  motor  vehicle  remains  in  the 
custody  of  the  court  or  officer,  the  true 
owner  shall  appear  and  establish  his 
title  thereto,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
court  in  which  such  prosecution  is 
brought,  the  same  shall  be  returned 
to  such  owner,  who  shall  have  the 
original  engine  number  restored  and 
may  thereafter  use  the  same  upon 
notifying  the  Secretary  of  State  of 
the  facts  and  obtaining  a  license 
therefor  in  accordance  with  this  Act 
if  he  has  not  such  a  license. 

In  designating  special  engine  num¬ 
bers  for  motor  vehicles  under  the  pro¬ 
visions  of  this  Act,  the  Secretary  of 
State  shall  designate  and  number  the 
same  consecutively,  beginning  with 
the  number  one,  preceded  by  the  let¬ 
ters  “S.  O.  S.”  and  followed  by  the 
letters  “Ill.”  for  each  and  every  make 
of  motor  vehicle  for  which  application 
for  a  special  engine  number  shall  be 
made,  and  in  the  order  of  the  filing 
of  application  therefor:  Provided,  that 
from  and  after  the  going  into  effect 
of  this  Act,  the  Secretary  of  State 
shall  not  register  any  motor  vehicle 
without  an  engine  number  or  issue  a 


41 


license  for  the  operation  of  the  same, 
except  as  specifically  provided  for 
herein. 

§  36.  All  moneys  received  by  the 
Secretary  of  State  as  registration  fees 
and  for  the  examination  and  licensing 
of  chauffeurs,  as  provided  in  this  Act, 
shall  be  deposited  in  the  State  treas¬ 
ury  and  set  apart  as  a  special  fund  to 
be  known  as  the  Road  Fund.  The 
Road  Fund  shall,  if  and  when  the 
State  of  Illinois  shall  incur  any 
bonded  indebtedness  for  the  construc¬ 
tion  of  permanent  highways,  be  set 
aside  and  used  for  the  purpose  of  pay¬ 
ing  and  discharging  annually  the 
principal  and  interest  on  such  bonded 
indebtedness  then  due  and  payable, 
and  for  no  other  purpose,  and  the  sur¬ 
plus,  if  any,  after  the  payment  of  the 
principal  and  interest  on  such  bonded 
indebtedness  then  annually  due,  shall 
be  used  for  the  improvement  of  the 
highways  of  the  State  in  accordance 
with  the  provisions  of  Article  IV  of 
an  Act  entitled,  “An  Act  to  revise  the 
law  in  relation  to  roads  and  bridges,” 
approved  June  27,  1913,  in  force  July 
1,  1913,  or  in  accordance  with  the  pro¬ 
visions  of  the  Federal  Aid  Road  Act, 
or  both  of  such  Acts,  and  all  Acts 
amendatory  thereof. 

§  37.  It  is  hereby  made  the  duty  of 
each  and  every  person,  firm,  associa¬ 
tion,  corporation,  or  co-partnership 
operating  a  public  garage  in  this 
State,  to  keep  for  public  inspection  a 
record  of  the  license  numbers  and 
engine  numbers  of  all  motor  vehicles 


42 


taken  in  or  held  in  charge  by  said 
garage  for  the  purpose  of  selling, 
rental,  livery,  storage  or  repair.  Said 
record  shall  contain  the  name  and  ad¬ 
dress  of  the  owner  of  the  motor  ve¬ 
hicle,  the  name  and  address  of  the 
person  delivering  or  taking  the  motor 
vehicle  to  the  garage,  and  the  license 
number  and  the  engine  number  there¬ 
of.  The  alteration  or  obliteration  of 
said  engine  number  shall  be  prima 
facia  evidence  of  larceny  of  said  motor 
vehicle,  and  the  proprietor,  agents, 
servants  or  employees,  immediately 
upon  the  discovery  of  such  obliteration 
or  alteration,  shall  notify  the  sheriff 
and  police  officers  of  the  proper 
county,  or  the  city,  town  or  village 
where  such  garage  is  situated,  and 
shall  hold  said  motor  vehicle  for  a 
period  of  twenty-four  hours,  or  until 
investigation  shall  have  been  made  by 
the  sheriff  or  police  officers:  Provided, 
however,  such  record  need  not  be 
made  wThen  a  motor  vehicle  is  taken 
in  or  held  in  charge  a  second  time,  for 
regular  storage. 

§  38.  Any  person,  firm,  association, 
corporation  or  co-partnership  found 
guilty,  personally  or  by  agent,  of  vio¬ 
lating  any  of  the  provisions  of  section 
37  of  this  Act  shall  be  fined  in  any 
sum,  not  less  than  one  hundred  dollars 
($100.00)  nor  more  than  five  hundred 
dollars  ($500  00)  and  the  costs  of 
prosecution  and  shall  stand  committed 
to  the  county  jail  until  said  fine  and 
the  costs  of  prosecution  are  paid  or 
otherwise  discharged  according  to  law. 


43 


§  39.  Whoever  steals  any  moter  ve¬ 
hicle  of  a  value  greater  than  fifteen 
dollars  ($15.00),  or  receives  or  buys 
any  motor  vehicle,  knowing  the  same 
to  have  been  stolen,  with  intent,  by 
such  receiving  or  buying,  to  defraud 
the  owner,  or  conceals  any  moter  ve¬ 
hicle  knowing  the  same  to  have  been 
stolen,  shall  be  fined  in  any  sum 
not  exceeding  five  hundred  dollars 
($500.00)  and  be  imprisoned  in  the 
State  penitentiary  not  less  than  two 
years  nor  more  than  fifteen  years. 

§  40.  Upon  approaching  a  person 
walking  upon  or  along  a  public  high¬ 
way,  or  a  horse  or  horses,  or  other 
draft  or  domestic  animal  or  animals 
being  ridden,  led  or  driven  thereon, 
thG  operator  of  a  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle  shall  give  reasonable 
warning  of  his  approach  and  use  every 
reasonable  precaution  to  avoid  injur¬ 
ing  such  person,  or  frightening  or  in¬ 
juring  such  horse,  horses,  or  other 
draft  or  domestic  animal  or  animals, 
and,  if  necessary,  stop  his  said  motor 
vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  until  he  can 
safely  proceed,  and  in  case  of  any  in¬ 
jury  to  a  person  or  property  on  the 
public  highways,  due  to  the  presence 
or  operation  of  a  motor  vehicle  or 
motor  bicycle,  the  operator  of  such 
vehicle  shall  stop  and,  upon  the  re¬ 
quest  of  a  person  injured  or  any  per¬ 
son  present,  give  his  name  and  ad¬ 
dress,  and,  if  not  the  owner  of  such 
motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle,  to¬ 
gether  with  his  own  name,  the  name 
and  address  of  such  owner. 


44 


Whenever  a  person  operating  a 
motor  vehicle  shall  meet  on  a  public 
highway  any  other  person  riding  or 
driving  a  horse  or  other  draft  animal, 
or  any  other  vehicle,  the  person  so 
operating  such  motor  vehicle  or  ve¬ 
hicles,  or  riding  or  driving  a  horse  or 
other  draft  animal,  shall  each  season¬ 
ably  turn  to  the  right  of  the  center 
of  the  beaten  track  of  such  highway 
so  as  to  pass  without  interference. 
Any  such  person  so  operating  a  motor 
vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  shall,  on 
overtaking  any  such  horse,  draft  ani¬ 
mal  or  other  vehicle,  pass  on  the  left 
side  thereof,  and  the  rider  or  driver 
of  such  horse,  draft  animal  or  other 
vehicle  shall,  as  soon  as  practicable, 
upon  signal,  turn  to  the  right  of  the 
center  of  the  beaten  track  of  such 
highway  so  as  to  allow  free  passage 
on  the  left.  Any  such  person  so 
operating  a  motor  vehicle  shall,  at  the 
intersection  of  public  highways,  keep 
to  the  right  of  the  center  of  such 
intersection  of  such  highway  when 
turning  to  the  right  and  pass  to  the 
right  of  the  center  of  such  intersection 
when  turning  to  the  left. 

In  approaching  or  passing  a  street 
railway  car,  which  has  been  stopped 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  or  dis¬ 
charging  passengers,  the  operator  of 
every  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle 
shall  not  drive  such  vehicle  or  bicycle 
within  ten  feet  of  the  running  board 
or  lowest  step  of  such  car,  except  by 
the  express  direction  of  a  traffic  of¬ 
ficer. 


45 


§  41.  Any  person  who  shall  drive  or 
operate  a  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bi¬ 
cycle  upon  any  public  highway  of  this 
State  while  drunk  or  intoxicated, 
shall,  upon  conviction  thereof,  for 
each  offense,  be  punished  by  a  fine  of 
not  more  than  two  hundred  dollars, 
or  by  imprisonment  in  the  county  jail 
for  a  period  not  exceeding  sixty  days 
or  by  both  such  fine  and  imprison¬ 
ment. 

§  42.  Nothing  in  this  Act  shall  be 
construed  to  curtail  or  abridge  the 
right  of  any  person  to  prosecute  a 
civil  action  for  damages  by  reason  of 
injuries  to  person  or  property  result¬ 
ing  from  the  negligent  use  of  the 
highways  by  the  driver  or  operator 
of  a  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  or 
its  owner  or  his  employee  or  agent, 
and  in  any  action  brought  to  recover 
any  damages  for  injury  either  to  per¬ 
son  or  property  caused  by  running 
any  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bicycle  at 
a  rate  of  speed  greater  than  is  reason¬ 
able  and  proper  having  regard  for  the 
traffic  and  the  use  of  the  way,  or  so 
as  to  endanger  the  life  or  limb  or 
injure  the  property  of  any  person,  the 
plaintiff  or  plaintiffs  shall  be  deemed 
to  have  made  out  a  prima ■  facie  case 
by  showing  the  fact  of  such  injury 
and  that  the  person  or  persons  driv¬ 
ing  such  motor  vehicle  or  motor  bi¬ 
cycle  was  at  the  time  of  such  injury 
running  the  same  at  a  speed  greater 
than  was  reasonable  and  proper  hav¬ 
ing  regard  for  the  traffic  and  the  use 
of  the  way  or  so  as  to  endanger  the 


46 


life  or  limb  or  injure  the  property 
of  any  person. 

§43.  Any  person  wilfully  violating 
the  provisions  of  this  Act  shall,  ex¬ 
cept  as  otherwise  provided  herein, 
upon  conviction,  be  fined  in  a  sum  not 
to  exceed  the  amount  hereinafter  set 
forth. 

For  the  violation  of  sections  8,  14, 
16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  21,  27,  28  and  40,  or 
any  of  them,  twenty-five  dollars. 

For  a  violation  of  section  22,  two 
hundred  dollars  ($200.00). 

For  the  violation  of  any  section  or 
provision  for  which  no  specific  penalty 
is  provided,  one  hundred  dollars 
$100.00). 

Provided,  that  any  offender  who 
shall  have  been  found  guilty  of  a  vio¬ 
lation  of  any  section  of  this  Act  and 
fined  therefor,  and  who  shall  there¬ 
after  be  convicted  of  a  second  viola¬ 
tion  of  such  section,  may  be  fined  in  a 
sum  not  exceeding  double  the  penalty 
herein  provided  for  a  first  offense,  and 
in  addition  thereto  may  have  his  certi¬ 
ficate  or  license  issued  by  the  Secre¬ 
tary  of  State  revoked  for  a  period 
not  exceeding  three  months,  and  for 
a  third  or  subsequent  violation  of  the 
same  section  of  this  Act  the  certifi¬ 
cate  or ,  license  may,  in  addition  to 
the  fine  provided  for  the  second  of¬ 
fense,  be  revoked  for  a  period  not 
exceeding  six  months.  Any  person 
whose  license  shall  have  been  revoked 
for  a  violation  of  any  of  the  provis¬ 
ions  of  this  Act  and  who  shall  drive 
or  operate  a  motor  vehicle  or  motor 


47 


bicycle  within  the  State  of  Illinois, 
during  the  period  for  which  his  said 
license  shall  have  been  revoked  or 
any  person  who,  having  once  been 
convicted  of  a  failure  to  comply  with 
the  provisions  of  this  Act  requiring 
a  registration  of  motor  vehicles  or 
motor  bicycles  or  the  examination  and 
licensing  of  chauffeurs  shall  fail  or 
refuse  to  comply  with  said  provisions, 
shall  be  deemed  guilty  •  of  a  misde¬ 
meanor  and  on  conviction  may  be 
fined  in  a  sum  not  to  exceed  two 
hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  in  the 
county  jail  for  a  period  not  exceeding 
thirty  (30)  days,  or  both,  in  the  dis¬ 
cretion  of  the  court.  All  fines  im¬ 
posed  for  violation  of  any  of  the 
provisions  of  this  Act  shall  be  paid  to 
the  treasurer  of  the  highway  commis¬ 
sioners  of  the  township  or  road  dis¬ 
trict  in  which  the  offense  is  com¬ 
mitted  by  the  justice  of  the  peace, 
clerk  of  the  court,  or  other  officer  to 
whom  the  amount  of  such  fines  shall 
be  by  law  required  to  be  paid  by  the 
constable,  bailiff,  sheriff,  or  other 
officer  named  in  any  execution,  issued 
for  the  collection  of  the  same,  and 
all  money  so  received  by  the  treasurer 
of  the  highway  commissioners,  shall 
be  used  in  repairing  and  improving 
the  roads  within  such  township  or 
road  district.  And  it  shall  be  the 
duty  of  the  Department  of  Public 
Works  and  Buildings,  Chief  Highway 
Engineer,  county  superintendent  of 
highways  and  commissioners  of  high¬ 
ways  to  seasonably  prosecute  for  all 


48 


fines  and  penalties  under  this  Act: 
Provided,  however,  that  whenever  any 
such  violation  shall  occur  within  the 
limits  of  any  city,  village  or  incor¬ 
porated  town,  or  within  the  jurisdic¬ 
tion  of  any  board  of  park  commis¬ 
sioners,  wherein  no  commissioners  of 
highways  exist  or  have  jurisdiction, 
in  such  case  all  fines  imposed  for  the 
violation  of  any  of  the  provisions  of 
this  Act  shall  be  paid  to  the  treasurer  . 
of  such  city,  village,  or  incorporated 
town  or  to  the  park  commissioners 
within  whose  jurisdiction  the  offense 
is  committed,  by  the  justice  of  the 
peace,  clerk  of  the  court,  or  other 
officer  to  whom  the  amount  of  such 
fines  shall  be  by  law  required  to  be 
paid  by  the  constable,  bailiff,  sheriff, 
or  other  officer  named  in  any  execu¬ 
tion  issued  for  the  collection  of  the 
same,  and  all  money  so  received  by 
the  treasurer  of  such  city,  village  or 
incorporated  town,  or  park  commis¬ 
sioners,  shall  be  used  in  repairing 
and  improving  the  roads  or  streets 
within  such  city,  village,  incorported 
town  or  park;  and  in  such  cases  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  police  officers 
and  officials  of  cities,  villages,  incor¬ 
porated  towns  and  parks  to  prosecute 
for  all  fines  and  penalties  under  this 
Act.  The  Secretary  of  State,  for  the 
purpose  of  more  effectively  carrying 
out  the  provisions  of  this  Act  is  here¬ 
by  authorized  and  empowered  to  ap¬ 
point  special  representatives  to  act  as 
automobile  and  motor  bicycle  investi¬ 
gators,  in  such  numbers  and  for  such 


49 


localities  as  he  may  deem  advisable 
said  investigators  to  serve  without 
compensation. 

§  44.  Public  highways  shall  include 
any  highway,  county  road,  State  road, 
public  street,  avenue,  alley,  parkway, 
driveway  or  public  place  in  any  coun¬ 
ty,  city,  village,  incorporated  town  or 
towns.  Local  authorities  shall  include 
all  officers  of  counties,  cities,  villages, 
incorporated  towns,  towns  or  road 
districts  as  well  as  all  boards,  com¬ 
mittees  and  other  public  officials  of 
such  counties,  cities,  villages,  incor¬ 
porated  towns,  or  road  districts. 

§  45.  The  Secretary  of  State,  or  his 
authorized  agent,  may,  at  his  discre¬ 
tion,  dispose  of,  destroy,  or  cause  to 
be  destroyed,  applications  for  licenses, 
examination  papers,  correspondence, 
or  any  other  records  which  have  been 
on  file  in  the  office  of  said  Secretary 
of  State  for  a  period  of  five  years  or 
more. 

§  46.  An  Act  entitled,  “An  Act  de¬ 
fining  motor  vehicles  and  providing 
for  the  registration  of  the  same,  and 
of  motor  bicycles,  and  uniform  rules 
regulating  the  use  and  speed  there¬ 
of;  prohibiting  the  use  of  motor 
vehicles  without  the  consent  of  the 
owner,  and  the  offer  or  acceptance  of 
any  bonus  or  discount,  or  other  con¬ 
sideration,  for  the  purchase  of  sup¬ 
plies  or  parts  for  any  such  motor 
vehicle,  or  for  work  or  repairs  done 
thereon  by  others,  and  defining  chauf¬ 
feurs,  and  providing  for  the  examina¬ 
tion  and  licensing  thereof,  and  to 


50 


repeal  certain  Acts  therein  named/’ 
approved  June  10,  1911,  in  force  July 
1,  1911,  as  amended,  is  repealed. 

§  47.  This  Act  shall  take  effect  and 
be  in  force  on  and  after  the  first  day 
of  January,  1920. 

Approved  June  30,  1919. 


51 


